


The Double-Date that Wasn't

by LizzieHarker



Series: The Arrowsverse [21]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Arrowsverse, Double Date, M/M, Protective Natasha Romanov, Sam just wanted a nice meal with his friends, Steve Rogers POV, Steve is very excited, dinner doesn't exactly go as planned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 12:59:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14105919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizzieHarker/pseuds/LizzieHarker
Summary: Do you guys miss Clint? I sure do...I also really miss posting weekly. Mostly because I have Plans and no chill.*Dolbayob is Russian for "You fucking moron."------Follow meon Tumblr!





	The Double-Date that Wasn't

Steve couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he walked hand-in-hand with Bucky. He’d sucked him into agreeing to a double-date with Sam and Natasha, and yeah, several months had passed since Steve extracted that promise and Bucky probably thought he was off the hook, but Steve felt amazing and no way he wasn’t cashing in. Hell, just getting to walk down the street holding his best guy’s hand hadn’t lost its shine. Doing something as ordinary as a double-date? Awesome.

Okay, so it wasn’t technically a double-date. Sam and Nat weren’t official or anything, but that didn’t dampen Steve’s mood one bit. Bucky, on the other hand, kept oddly quiet, a familiar weariness about him. Steve squeezed his hand.

“At least there’ll be burgers,” he offered. The corner of Bucky’s mouth twitched up, but he still looked weary. More than I-don’t-want-to-double-date weary. Considering that it wasn’t actually a double-date. “Everything okay, Buck?”

“Yeah, fine,” he replied.

“I know things are kinda patchy with Sam, but—”

“It’s not Sam.” Bucky’s gaze stayed fixed on the sidewalk ahead. “Sam and I, we’re good. Not one-on-one, buy-you-a-beer-and-shoot-the-shit good, but good.”

Steve slowed his steps, shocking pinging through him. “So . . . Nat?”

Bucky hummed. “It’s complicated. Nothing bad, just . . . complicated.”

“I thought you two had the whole ‘former Russian assassin besties’ thing going on. You were friendly enough during that Russian festival.”

“Clint and Nat are assassin besties; Natalia and I,” Bucky started, and then paused. “Natalia and I have a history I remember in pieces. In one fragment she’s a child, the next a woman. I had a hand in making her the Widow. We fight each other and we fought together. We were brutally efficient, and somewhere along the line we found some kind of comfort in one another. Neither of us were much more than what we’d been trained to be.” Bucky shrugged. “It’s a little strange, a little unsettling. I can’t quite reconcile that part of my past with my present. We’re different now, but that doesn’t always mean I know where I stand with her. I like Natasha, but I get the feeling she’s not quite sure where she stands with me, either.”

Steve squeezed Bucky’s hand, pulling him close. “I didn’t realize. I wouldn’t have pushed if I knew you felt uncomfortable.”

Bucky squeezed back. “It’s okay. Someone was bound to notice. I’m fine in a group settle, especially if there’s a bucket of cheese fries.”

A smile spread across Steve’s face. “Okay.”

“Been a long time since we had a good burger. We should get jalapeños on the fries, and maybe a shake,” Bucky added. “Here we are.” 

He held the door open for Steve and Steve stepped through into warm restaurant, searching for their friends. Sam waved at them from a booth at the back. Nat smiled beside him. “You sure this is okay, Buck?”

Knocking into Steve’s shoulder, Bucky nodded. “I’m fine. C’mon, before we both starve to death.” 

“Hey, boys,” Natasha said, leaning over to sip at her milkshake. “We were starting to wonder.”

“Hey, man,” Sam said, giving Steve and awkward bro-hug over the table. 

Steve slid into the booth and pulled Bucky down beside him, once more vibrating with glee. Bucky nuzzled his cheek before sitting up, bumping into his hip to make him scoot over.

“So, how much are we gonna order? A meal or a light snack?” Bucky teased.

Steve blushed. “I mean, I forgot to eat a solid lunch cause I was excited about double-date dinner plans.”

Nat rolled her eyes, smirking. Sam shook his head, laughing slightly. 

“Man, I shoulda known better than to invite y’all to a burger joint,” he said. “I shoulda gotten two tables: one for us, one for dinner.”

Steve’s flush deepened. Bucky scooted closer. “Too late now, Sam. This all Stevie’s been talking about all week.”

“I’ve never been on a double-date before,” Steve said before turning to Bucky. “And no, the stupid dates you dragged me on when we were kids don’t count. You always left with both women.”

“Yeah, but I always came home to you,” Bucky countered. He leaned over to steal a kiss and swipe a menu at the same time. “Whatcha want, babydoll?”

Steve opened his mouth, but Natasha cut in. “Off the menu.”

It was Steve’s turn to roll his eyes. “I thought we could split one of those cheese fry boats, get Buck some jalapeños on the side. And I’ll take two cheeseburgers. Oh, man, is this a build your own place? Awesome.”

Bucky laughed and ordered them both beers when the waitress appeared. Steve’s stomach rumbled and he definitely noticed the waitress suppress a giggle. Damn supersoldier metabolism.

“What are you gonna have, Buck?”

Bucky shrugged. “Salad.”

Sam and Nat looked horrified, Steve frowned. “You do not go to a burger place and order a salad.”

Buck burst out laughing. “Of course I’m not ordering a salad, you goddamn meatball. I torn between the tilapia burger and the Mexican Hat-Dance burger.”

“Get both. I wonder if the Fat Bastard is good.”

Bucky looked at the menu and snorted. “There are fries _on_ the burger?”

“Welcome to the future, Barnes,” Sam said.

About fifteen minutes later, Steve wished Sam had gotten that second table. He’d ordered two of those amazing cheese fries and some wings for everyone to share and the booth got mighty crowded between the appetizers, Sam’s burger, Nat’s sliders, Bucky’s burger and sweet potato fries (and his beloved jalapeños), and the burger Steve built while waiting for the burger he ordered. The menu said it’d take an extra ten to fifteen minutes. Oh, yeah, and Nat’s empty milkshake glass and the couple beer bottles they’d collected. The waitress did her best to clear what she could.

Steve’s actual dinner had just arrived when Natasha’s phone rang. She reached into her bra for it (Steve averted his eyes), took one look at the screen, and answered.

“Hey,” she said. “Hang on.” Natasha left the table without another word. Bucky watched her go from the corner of his eye. 

Steve swallowed his mouthful of burger. Damn it tasted delicous. “I hope everything’s all right.”

“She does that,” Sam said. “You get used to it,” he added, smiling.

Steve chuckled. “Sorry, Sam. I’m retired now, so I promise no more interruptions from me.”

“I’ll hold you to it. I gotta get back into running, and who better to be my running buddy than you?”

“Guh, running. Nothing is worth getting up before the crack of dawn,” Bucky grumbled.

“You don’t complain about all the post-run sex you get,” Steve countered.

Sam choked on his beer.

“Yeah, but I don’t have to get up at dawn for that. I get two hours to sleep in.”

Sam shook his head. “Damn, man, it’s good to see you happy and healthy. Never woulda thought Steve Rogers had that kinda mouth on him.”

“He’s just terrible,” Bucky said. “A real smartass and a little shit to boot.”

“You fucking adore me,” Steve answered, pressing a kiss to Bucky’s cheek.

Bucky wiped at his cheek, then throw the napkin at Steve. “You got mustard on your face, Casanova.”

“I liked you plenty before, Steve, but this is great. It’s nice to see you coming back into your own.”

“Stevie ain’t the golden boy the history books think he was,” Bucky said. “But I kinda like that my fella's a fiery little spitfuck. No one expects it and if that ain’t the best goddamn thing.”

Sam smiled, tipping his beer bottle toward Steve. “I’m proud of you.”

Steve tapped the neck of his beer against Sam’s and they both drank, Bucky’s arm sliding around Steve’s shoulders.

The waitress reappeared and cleared away the decimated plates and empty bottles. Bucky tensed a second before someone slapped Steve upside the head.

“Jackass,” Natasha hissed, resuming her seat and glaring at Steve.

“What the hell, Nat?” Steve rubbed his head, leveling a look at her. “What was that for?”

Bucky’s expression blanked out.

Nat still clutched her phone, but her face was drawn, tears standing in her eyes. “Dolbayob," she spat, continuing in Russian. "(Do you even know what he’s doing for you?)”

Steve had never seen Natasha so visibly upset. Something had gone very wrong. “What’d she say, Buck?”

Bucky set his hand on Steve’s arm. “(What do you mean, Natalia?)"

Natasha only shook her head and continued, voice low and eyes downcast as she stabbed at one of her sliders. “(How could you do this to him? He trusts you, he respects the hell out of you. He doesn’t need to prove shit. You have no fucking clue. The last time he called me that name, he was dying.)”

Bucky’s breath drew short. “(Where is he? Is he injured?)”

She gave a half shrug. Sam put a hand on her shoulder, rubbing gently. 

Steve pushed aside the rest of his burger. Nat was pissed at him, yeah, but she was deeply, desperately worried. And really, Steve could only think of one person who could do that to Nat. “Natasha,” Steve said, voice soft, “is Clint okay?”

This time, Nat inclined her head. “(It explains so much though. How did I missed it . . . Steve, you.)”

Bucky shifted in his seat. “(Tell me where he is. We’ll go to him. You and me, Natalia. Will bring him home.)”

Steve reached for Nat’s hand, running his thumb over her knuckles. “Let me help, Nat. Tell me where we need to go. I’m right behind you.”

“(He’s safe.)”

Bucky said, “Natalia,” at the same time Steve said, “Natasha,” but Nat withdrew her hand and shook her head again.

Desperate, Steve tuned to Bucky, who shook his head. “I’ll tell you later.”

“I’m gonna go,” Natasha said.

A pang lit through Steve and he reached out and grabbed Nat’s wrist again. He could fix this. He hated seeing Nat upset, but Nat turned in his grip, placing her hand in his. She gave it a squeeze, saying “I gotta go,” but giving him a pointed look before she tossed some money on the table and left.

Steve sagged in the booth while Bucky snatched the check away from Sam. Sam grumbled as Bucky pulled his wallet out of his pocket and stuffed several bills into the check holder, including a sizable tip. He handed it back and told the waitress he didn’t need change. Steve glanced up in time to see the girl’s eyes go wide as she looked from the tip money to their table and back. She took a step forward, mouth open, but Bucky waved her back, sliding out of the booth. Steve followed, raising a hand in goodbye. Sam scooted out as well, and the three of them headed out.

Sam chased after Natasha, Steve making to follow when Bucky put a hand against his chest. “She said no. We respect that.”

To his credit, Steve almost made it home before cracking, swearing to work on his Russian. “What did Natasha say, Buck?”

“She asked if we knew what he was doing for us.”

“You mean Clint.” It wasn’t a question.

Bucky nodded. “Whatever he said scared the hell out of her. She won’t say how or where he is, just that he’s safe. At least we know he’s alive.”

Steve’s keys jingled as he unlocked their door. Clint had been gone five months now, and yeah, they got the occasional postcard—still without message or signature—but Steve missed Clint. And Steve knew however much he missed him, Bucky missed him twice as bad. He’d seen the way Bucky glanced at his phone, hoping the screen would light up with a text. Truth was, he wouldn’t mind waking up to find Clint in their kitchen, drinking their coffee.

“She’s not angry with you,” Bucky continued, “but I’ll be surprised if she doesn't have words with you later.”

Steve nodded. That slap had been reactionary, but Natasha's upset had been self-directed. “I know. I wish I could do something more. I hope Clint comes home soon. I miss him.”

Bucky set a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “Me too, Stevie. Me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Do you guys miss Clint? I sure do...
> 
> I also really miss posting weekly. Mostly because I have Plans and no chill. 
> 
> *Dolbayob is Russian for "You fucking moron."
> 
> \------
> 
> Follow me [on Tumblr!](http://lizzieharker.tumblr.com/)


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